The D train is about as safe as any other New York City subway line. There is no evidence that it carries a higher risk of crime or incidents compared to the rest of the system. That said, the NYC subway as a whole has real safety concerns worth understanding, and certain stretches of the D line pass through stations where riders should stay alert, particularly late at night.
The D train runs one of the longest routes in the system, from Norwood-205th Street in the Bronx through Manhattan and into Brooklyn’s Coney Island. That means your experience can vary significantly depending on the time of day, the direction you’re traveling, and which station you’re boarding at.
Crime on the D Train vs. the Whole System
The NYPD does not publish crime statistics broken down by individual subway line, so there’s no official data showing the D train is more or less dangerous than, say, the A or the 4. What the numbers do show is that serious violent crime on the subway remains relatively rare given the volume of riders. The system moves roughly 3.5 to 4 million people on a typical weekday. Most incidents that make the news are isolated.
The Bronx accounts for about 12% of subway fatalities (both accidental and intentional), according to a detailed analysis of incidents over a 14-year period. Manhattan and Brooklyn see the highest share, which tracks with the fact that those boroughs have far more stations and ridership. The D train’s Bronx stations, like Fordham Road and 167th Street, are busy transfer points that attract the same petty crime you’d find at any high-traffic urban station: phone theft, panhandling, and occasional confrontations.
Sexual Harassment Remains a Systemwide Problem
One safety concern that applies across all subway lines, including the D, is sexual harassment. A survey conducted by the Manhattan Borough President’s office found that 63% of female respondents reported being sexually harassed in the subway, and 10% reported being sexually assaulted in a station or on a train. NYPD leadership has called sexual harassment the number one quality-of-life offense in the subway system, and reported incidents have been trending upward over the years.
These incidents range from verbal comments about a passenger’s appearance to unwanted physical contact. They happen on crowded rush-hour trains and on emptier late-night cars alike. None of this is unique to the D line, but riders on any line should know that underreporting is widespread and the actual numbers are almost certainly higher than official counts suggest.
What Makes Some Stations Feel Less Safe
The D train serves a wide mix of station types. Underground stations in Midtown Manhattan, like 34th Street-Herald Square and 42nd Street-Bryant Park, are well-lit, heavily policed, and packed with commuters during the day. Elevated stations in southern Brooklyn, like Bay 50th Street and 25th Avenue, tend to be quieter and can feel more isolated after dark.
The MTA has converted fluorescent lighting to brighter LED fixtures in all 472 subway stations across the system, which directly improves visibility and camera image quality. Two D train stations in Brooklyn, 25th Avenue and Bay 50th Street, received full renovation work in 2025 as part of the MTA’s station revitalization program. The system now has more than 15,000 security cameras, and the improved lighting makes footage significantly more detailed and useful for investigations.
The Trains Themselves Are Getting Safer
The D train currently runs older R68 and R68A cars, which are nearing the end of their service life. The MTA has ordered 378 replacement cars, designated the R268, which will serve the B, D, N, Q, W, and Franklin Avenue Shuttle. The new cars will come with pre-installed security cameras in every car, brighter interior lighting, clearer signage, and improved reliability. Until those cars arrive, the existing fleet lacks some of these built-in safety features, though cameras have been retrofitted in many older cars across the system.
Practical Tips for Riding the D Train
Your biggest risk on the D train isn’t a dramatic incident. It’s the same low-level stuff that affects all subway riders: someone snatching a phone near the doors as they close, an uncomfortable encounter with an erratic passenger, or a harassing comment. A few habits make a real difference.
- Time of day matters most. The D train feels very different at 8 a.m. on a Tuesday than at 1 a.m. on a Saturday. Crowded trains are generally safer because there are more witnesses and less opportunity for confrontation.
- Stand near other riders. On a late-night train, sit in the conductor’s car (usually in the middle of the train) rather than an empty end car. On platforms, stay near the designated “off-hours waiting area” marked with yellow signs.
- Keep your phone secure. Phone theft near closing doors is one of the most common crimes across the whole system. If you’re standing near an open door, keep your device in your pocket or hold it firmly with both hands.
- Use the intercom. Every subway car has a passenger intercom strip or button that connects you to the train operator. If something feels wrong, use it.
The D train is not uniquely dangerous, and millions of people ride it without incident every week. The line’s length and the variety of neighborhoods it passes through mean that conditions shift from station to station. Staying aware of your surroundings, especially during off-peak hours, is the single most effective thing you can do.